Toshiba's new Lithium-ion battery charges in one minute

Toshiba developed a new Lithium-ion battery that only needs one minute to charge up to 80 percent of its capacity.

The battery uses specially engineered particles less than 100 nanometres across that store vast amounts of lithium ions, without causing any deterioration in its electrodes. This allows a full recharge to be achieved in less than 10 minutes.

The battery has a few other advantages over conventional battery technologies: it loses less than one percent of its total charge per 1,000 recharges and it is capable to operate between -40 and +45 degrees Celsius.

Next year the company will commercialize this new battery. First it will appear in automotive and industrial sectors. Toshiba said that for example the battery's advantage in size, weight and safety would make it highly suitable for hybrid electric vehicles.